Comments on: What is Power Plate’s Acceleration Training?

By: gabriel

gabriel — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 12:13:32 +0000

Hi Mari. The only Powerplate that has been verified and the one that is used in the majority of the research is the Powerplate Pro5. This is a medium acceleration platform (as opposed to high acceleration) and part of their “commercial” line. The Pro5 is supported on this site, but has a hefty pricetag.

The My3 is one of their “home units” and it has not been verified nor used in any research supporting the PP. Given its size and pricetag, my assumption would be that it is a low acceleration platform. This means that it will be limited in delivering the more desireable effects of Vibration Training. Good for circulation, massage, flexibility, and perhaps balance.

By: mari

mari — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 04:55:50 +0000

Hi.. I read all this & get confused. I was at a fair this weekend & tried out what probably isn’t a good machine. It isn’t listed here as recommended. In looking around, I find a business nearby that sells Power Plate brand. I am looking at the Power Plate My3. Any thoughts?

By: Gabriel

Gabriel — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 13:14:56 +0000

Hi Charlotte,

As we have said in the past, “you get what you pay for”. You can purchase cheaper platforms, but their performance and level of results will reflect the price. Remember, you need a well engineered platform to deliver the proper forces required for muscle stimulation. If you don’t have this, you cannot be guaranteed any of the research supported effects of Vibration Training. Only benefits will be “therapeutic” effects including circulation, massage, and possibly balance training.

$2700 is the lowest you can go for a personal training platform that can deliver.

By: Charlotte

Charlotte — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 12:06:04 +0000

Which is the best value/machine for an at home unit. $2700 sounds exorbitant??

By: Gabriel

Gabriel — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 14:05:44 +0000

Once again……plenty of anecdotal reports of quality machines throughout the world, but this site only supports those that have had their specs confirmed via engineering tests.

They are as follows:

Galileo (Vibraflex) – Pivotal
Hypervibe – Pivotal
VibroGym Professional – Lineal
Power Plate Pro5 – Lineal
Globus Physioplate Gold – Lineal
DKNXG10 – Lineal
VibroGym Evolution – Lineal
Maxuvibe MX7 – Pivotal
Freemotion Itonic
WAVE

There are differences among these however, so it is important to elaborate on your goals and how you will be using the platform (personal, commercial etc.)

By: Jesse

Jesse — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 23:05:04 +0000

Ok, so what are the good machines in the USA? I don’t really see any recommendations. Am I missing something?
Thanks in advance!

By: John Weatherly

John Weatherly — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 17:12:56 +0000

Dr. Jim Peterson, now retired from the U.S. Army – who spent 20 years or more with the U.S. Army at West Point – once made a remark to me several years ago at a conference. Dr. Peterson said: “Twenty years in the army taught me there were a lot of people with anal retention.”

Some people are very arrogant. I do believe there are good people out there. You just have to find them.

By: John Weatherly

John Weatherly — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 09:12:56 +0000

I don’t know Philippa. They would probably say it’s a placebo effect. What they fail to realize is even if it would be placebo it’s still helping. That and the fear of stepping out from amidst the skepticism of their peers. Look how long it took weight training to be accepted by the medical folks.

Money is a big issue. I spoke with another scientist this am. He said he thought Dr. Nieman may have agreed to let Power Plate use the words “Power Plate Research Center” at Appalachian State in order to get the funding in the first place. This same scientist has/is doing studies on Power Plate and said they were supposed to be getting some more money from Power Plate but have not heard anything for a while. It sounds like Power Plate is in financial trouble.

Somebody has to fund studies. One thing Dr. McBride mentioned in our talk yesterday was research on the manipulation of volume and intensity in periodized exercise programs. This is something I’ve been interested in for many years for athletes (along with the general public). And there isn’t much research on this. Why? Because you have to find somebody to fund it.

By: Philippa Church

Philippa Church — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:41:01 +0000

Good point John
OK, at the risk of sounding blonde and female two attributes that I know don’t stand me in good stead…
Why haven’t any studies been done on good machines? Yes I know that it would be too much for Vibra-train to front up – but any research company or hospital worth it’s salt will surely do research and work out the these are the best machines. I am genuinely at a loss why so many supposedly pioneering departments just dismiss without looking. I have a customer with a very rare progressive disease who has seen huge benefits from this and has improved in spite of the fact that he is set to decline. He attributes this to Vibration Training yet the hospital refuse to investigate. Naiive I know… but why do they do this?

By: John Weatherly

John Weatherly — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:34:54 +0000

I got it straight from one of the horses mouths today about the Power Plate Research Center at Appalachian State. I spoke with Dr. Jeff McBride this morning. McBride said he was involved with “one” study on Power Plate and Dr. Nieman did “one” study on Power Plate. That’s it! They have no plans to do any more studies on Power Plate. Now, isn’t it unethical for Power Plate to have Dr. Nieman listed on their Advisory Board saying he runs the “Power Plate Research Center” at Appalachian State? It doesn’t even exist now and apparently never did amount to much. McBride said Power Plate gave them some funding. He also said companies like Power Plate make equipment and then come to researchers like him wanting “to prove” it works. You can read between the lines on that last comment.

I also asked McBride about vibration for the elderly. He didn’t see any benefit over normal strength training saying they can lift for a short duration of 15-20 min or so and see the same results.

Thus, it appears McBride is not very impressed with vibration after his one study on Power Plate. He did say it may have a slight 1-2% value as a warmup or neural potentiation for elite athletes but that was about it. He said you can get the same “warmup” effect running down the field a time or two and “why pay $10,000 for a vibration platform?

Dr. McBride is enjoyable to speak with. I was almost in tears and rolling on the floor with some of his comments. I had to cut the conversation short to get in my workout this am. A delight to speak with – Dr. Jeff McBride. He gives his straight opinions.

Since there’s no Power Plate Research Center at Appalachian State, maybe someone could get some studies done? You’d have to do a good job convincing McBride after his experiences with Power Plate. He thinks it’s “a fad.”